


KISS Kollection

by TanookiRoxx



Category: KISS (US Band)
Genre: Accidents, Alternate Universe - College/University, Attempt at Humor, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Comfort/Angst, Destruction, Dinner, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Violence, Drinking, Drunken Shenanigans, Feeding, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Innuendo, Love Confessions, Love Letters, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nightmares, Painting, Romantic Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23281915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TanookiRoxx/pseuds/TanookiRoxx
Summary: A collection of my KISS one shots from Tumblr. Expect an eclectic mix of fluff, angst and humor.
Relationships: Ace Frehley/Paul Stanley, Eric Carr/Bruce Kulick, Eric Carr/Gene Simmons, Gene Simmons/Eric Singer, Gene Simmons/Vinnie Vincent, Jaime St. James/Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley/Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley/Vinnie Vincent (KISS), Peter Criss/Ace Frehley
Comments: 40
Kudos: 34





	1. The Mighty Morphin' Power Drunks (Ace & Peter)

**Author's Note:**

> These are a series of my writing prompts, story requests and whatever kooky KISS ideas that pop into my brain. I wrote them all for shameless fun. I hope you enjoy!

KISS had just finished their soundcheck for the afternoon. They had a few hours to relax in their dressing room before the show. Paul was fixated on his mirror image, Gene was going over his flying rig stunt with Doc, Peter and Ace were drinking beers while Paul and Gene’s sons played with their power ranger action figures. The boys would bring their games and toys with them to entertain themselves while their dads worked.

Peter smiled as he watched the boys play happily. Ah…youth! He remembered his carefree childhood days fondly. Maybe it was the booze making him all sentimental but what he would give to go back in time and relive those good ol’ days. 

“Catering has dinner ready!” Tommy called out from the dressing room door.

“Yay!” Nick and Evan cheered, racing each other out the door, leaving their action figures scattered across the floor.

Paul, Gene and Doc followed the boys out of the room.

Ace sat across from Peter. He couldn’t wait to be alone with his best friend. There was something on his mind that had been bugging him all afternoon. He really needed to tell his friend but he had to wait until they were finally alone.

“Peter…there’s something I really want us to do,” Ace said as he grabbed Peter’s hands, looking him in the eyes intensely.

“Yes Ace,” Peter said, returning that intense gaze.

“Let’s play Monopoly Jr.!” Ace exclaimed.

“O…Okay!” Peter smiled and nodded his head happily. Apparently, Ace was feeling a little nostalgic too.

Ace and Peter searched through Nick and Evan’s play area for the board games. They were disappointed to not find them.

“I don’t think they brought them. It looks like they only brought those superhero dolls,” Peter sighed sadly.

“You mean The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers!” Ace corrected as he poured himself another glass of wine.

Peter snorted as he took another swig of his beer.

“C’mon Petey! Ya gotta admit they are pretty cool. They use dinosaur robots to beat up space monsters!”

Peter looked at his friend as if he were an idiot. “You actually watch that stupid kid’s show?”

“Well yeah…it’s great fun to watch while high,” Ace grinned.

“Yeah but they beat ‘em up the exact same way every single time! There’s a stupid ass monster and they start fighting it, and then the stupid ass monster gets big and the rangers use those cheesy lookin’ piece of shit robots, and then later the piece of shit robots combine into one giant piece of shit robot. Then the giant piece of shit robot kills the stupid ass monster. The fuckin’ end!” Peter ranted passionately.

Ace cackled. “You sure know an awful lot about this stupid kid’s show, Petey!”

Peter blushed. “Yeah...well maybe I was bored and there was nothing better to watch on TV one day…no big deal. They still suck!”

“Yeah, we’d make way cooler superheroes,” Ace grinned, taking a sip from his wine glass.

“Yeah, at least we get to rock n’ roll all night, get hot babes and drink lots of booze!” Peter added, reaching for another beer bottle.

“Hey, what if the power rangers liked hittin’ the sauce like we do!” Ace slurred.

“I guess that’d make them the Power Drinkers or something,” Peter chuckled, feeling a bit tipsy from all the booze.

“Or like the Mighty Morphin’ Power Drunks!” Ace exclaimed raising his wine glass to toast Peter’s beer bottle.

Ace and Peter cracked up over that name. 

“We should change their names too. This white one can be Pinot, because he’s kinda like the color of Pinot,” Ace suggested, grabbing the white ranger clumsily.

“The green guy can be Gin…G for Gin,” Peter said, grabbing the green ranger.

“And red can be Kool-Aid!” Ace cheered.

“Ace, Kool-Aid is not an alcoholic beverage!” Peter scoffed.

“Yeah but it mixes well,” Ace shrugged.

“Oooookay…well yellow can be Tequila,” Peter suggested.

“Ooooh! What kind?” Ace asked.

“The hell if I know…Patron? Does it really matter?”

“Heh...guess not. The pink one should be Champagne. I looove Champagne!” Ace exclaimed.

“We know buddy. We know. What do you wanna name the black one?” Peter asked.

“Beer!” Ace cheered obnoxiously. 

“Good choice!” Peter complimented, raising his beer bottle up in approval.

“And blue can be Liquor,” Ace decided.

“Cool. Let’s make them beat the shit outta each other!” Peter exclaimed as he grabbed the black ranger while Ace grabbed the blue one.

Peter as Beer: “Liquor, why do you drink that shit!? Beer reigns supreme!”

Ace as Liquor: “Everyone knows Liquor is quicker!”

Peter as Beer: “Oh yeah! Ya wanna fight about it, tough guy?”

Ace as Liquor: “Bring it on! Hiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Ace tried to make Liquor kick Beer, but instead of hitting the toy, he hit Peter’s thumb by accident.

“Ow, that hurts! That was my finger, asshole!” Peter snapped.

“Sorry…” Ace shrugged.

“Take this! Waaaaaaaa!” Peter screeched as he made Beer hit Ace’s hand on purpose.

“Ow! That shit smarts!” Ace whined.

Ace picked up the red ranger next. “I want a piece of this action!”

“Back off Kool-Aid! You’re outta your league here! I got Gin and Pinot to back me up!” Peter said, grabbing the green and white rangers. 

“Oh yeah? Well, Tyrannosaurus!” Ace screams out as he grabs the T-rex robot and puts Kool-Aid in it.

“Ah shit! What do the other drunks drive again?” Peter asked as he was torn between the Mastodon and the Pterodactyl.

“Rawwwwr!” Ace roared as he used the T-rex robot to knock the black, green and white rangers out of Peter’s hands. 

“Ummm Go, Go, prehistoric cat!” Peter yelled.

Ace cackled. “You mean, Saber Tooth Tiger?”

“Shut up Ace! That’s what I said!” Peter yelled as he hit the T-rex robot with the Saber Tooth Tiger robot.

“Mwahaha! You are a worthy opponent, Tequila, but you are no match for Champagne!” Ace laughed maniacally. 

“Bring it!” Peter screamed as he lunged for Ace again.

At the moment Gene walked into the room.

“We can hear you two all the way down the hall. Why on earth are you both screaming about dinosaurs and alcoholic beverages?”

Ace and Peter froze with the action figures still in their hands.

Gene grinned. “Oh my God! Are you grown men actually playing with children’s toys? I gotta tell Paul about this!” Gene chuckled as he left the room.

“Shit! Ace, we gotta put the toys away and for the love of God do not mention the Power Drunks to anybody! You got it?” Peter asked.

“Whateva you say Pinot…err…I mean, Peter!”

“Damnit!”


	2. Stargazing (Paul & Ace)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul has been feeling under the weather lately so Ace takes him stargazing to lift his spirits.

“Ace, I seriously need to head back,” Paul whined, tugging his hand as a means to escape the spaceman’s iron grip. “What are we doing in the middle of Central Park this late?”

“Paulie, you’ve been locked up in that hotel room for days. It aint healthy! We’re going to participate in a famous Jendellian activity – stargazing!” Ace cheered as he pulled his friend down onto a grassy hilltop.

“Stargazing? You dragged me out here to look at the stars?” Paul deadpanned.

Ace gasped. “But you like stars, remember!?”

“Of course, I do! It’s just…” Paul sighed, running a hand through his dark curls. “I’m just under a lot of stress. The label is putting pressure on me to write another hit and I just can’t come up with anything.”

“Well, we Jendellians have a saying for times like this. ‘When in doubt, look to the stars,’" Ace grinned as he pointed to the millions of twinkling stars in the dark sky above.

Paul looked up and blinked. Huh. They were much brighter up here, away from the distractions of the city. He was lost for words, completely captivated by the shimmering miracles of the burning balls of gas from billions of miles away. For the first time in a long time, Paul truly felt at peace.

“You stargaze in space?” Paul asked as he laid back onto the soft grass with his eyes still fixed upwards.

“Absolutely! You get a much better view from up there then down here,” Ace said smiling as he folded his arms behind his head for extra support.

Ace sighed, his bones and soul aching to fly with the stars. Ace couldn’t comprehend himself at the moment, all sorts of emotions swirling in his body and leaving him breathless. 

“Paulie! Look! It’s Jendell!” Ace squealed, pointing to the brightest star in the sky.

Paul followed his gaze and squinted, “Ace, that’s Venus.”

“No, it isn’t!”

“Yes, it is! Venus is the brightest star in the sky, everybody knows that,” Paul replied, matter-of-factly.

“I know my home planet, Paulie,” Ace mumbled, wiping the tears off his cheek. 

Paul heard Ace’s soft sniffling and shuffled over on his right side to face him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just feelin’ a bit homesick. It’s weird, ya know? I was raised on Earth but every time I look to the stars, I feel my heart tug and my soul twist desperately,” Ace said as he sat up.

“I feel the same way,” Paul whispered, pulling himself up to a seated position as well.

“This is gonna sound bonkers but I always felt like my true home was being called from the stars. I don’t understand why I’m here but I know it’s for a greater purpose, it must be,” Ace rambled.

“For what it’s worth…I’m glad you’re here,” Paul said gently as he placed a hand on Ace’s shoulder.

“Thanks Paulie,” Ace said, smiling at his friend.

Just then a few shooting stars streaked across the midnight sky. 

“Check that out!” Paul cooed.

“It must be time for the annual festival of lights show on Jendell,” Ace lamented.

Paul grinned as he observed Ace’s child-like wonder at the shooting stars. His mood was quite infectious!

“Must be. Jendell sure does look beautiful tonight,” Paul replied, gesturing towards the “Venus” planet.

Ace smiled brightly at Paul.

“Look Paulie, a moon flower! Those are very rare on Jendell,” Ace exclaimed as he crawled over to pick a few.

Paul grinned and shook his head. He didn’t have the heart to tell Ace that those were just tulips. 

“For you!” Ace proclaimed as he handed his little bouquet of “moon flowers” to Paul.

“Thanks Ace,” Paul said, accepting his gift. “This was a lot of fun. We should do this again soon.”

“Agreed,” Ace said, wrapping an arm around his friend.

Paul smiled and returned the gesture.

The two continued looking up into the swirling display of stars overhead. They may have felt like missing pieces to an intergalactic puzzle, lost to space and time for who knows how long, but at least they could find solace in stargazing.


	3. Please Marry Me! (Gene x Eric.S)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gene receives a drunken proposal from Eric.

“Geeeeeeeene!” Eric drawled as he fell forward into Gene’s arms.

“Eric! Where are your pants?” Gene grumbled as he quickly ushered the white underwear clad drummer into his hotel room.

“I don’t know!” Eric giggled obnoxiously as he sunk to the ground.

Gene was prepared to spend a quiet night in his hotel room until his drummer had clumsily banged on his hotel room door.

Doc always threw extravagant end of the tour parties for the band and crew. It was the only time that Gene and Paul allowed them to drink and truly let loose. Gene had noticed Eric had spent a little too much time at the bar tonight much to his dismay. The pungent stench of alcohol was strong with the Catman.

“C’mon Gene and love me,” Eric sung out before his face slammed into the carpet.

Gene sighed, leaning down beside him. “Are you drunk?”

Eric looked up at him, his brown eyes clouded with the haze of alcohol. “No, I’m not drunk. I’m Eric!” he slurred.

Gene could not help but crack a grin. He should be pissed. Ace and Peter’s crazy shenanigans had jaded his perception of drinking but something about Eric was different.

“You’re drunk, Eric.”

“Nooooooooooooooo,” Eric whined as he rolled onto his back and stared up at Gene above him. “Wow, Gene how you doing that? There’s like three of you spinning around.”

Gene rolled his eyes. 

“C’mon Eric. Let’s get you to bed,” Gene said as he helped steady Eric back up onto his feet.

“Are we gonna cuddle?” Eric asked.

“What?” Gene asked.

“What?” Eric mimicked Gene. Eric thought hard for a second. “What was I talking about again?”

“I have no idea,” Gene replied as he helped Eric onto his hotel room bed.

Eric sighed dreamily as he sat up onto the bed. “I asked her to marry me at the party,” he said, smiling at Gene.

“Who?” Gene furrowed his eyebrow.

“That girl.”

“What girl, Eric?” Gene asked impatiently.

“You know the girl with the hair and the breast and the legs. She’s beautiful!” Eric gushed.

“Um. What did she say?”

Eric hummed in deep thought. “I don’t know.”

“Ah,” Gene said shaking his head in approval.

“I want to get married. Will you marry me, Gene?”

“Wha-What?” Gene was taken aback by that random question.

“I already proposed to Paul but he turned me down.”

Gene knew better than to engage this conversation but curiosity got the best of him. “You asked Paul to marry you?”

“Yeah and he said nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,” Eric exclaimed, crossing his hands in an X for further exaggeration. “I wanted to marry him in the spring so he could wear a white dress with sparkling diamonds and lavender flowers and-“

“Eric! I really think you’re drunk and you need to sleep this off,” Gene sighed and he tried to encourage Eric to lay down.

“But I wanna marry that girl, Paul and you…please marry me, Gene!”

“Not tonight, Eric,” Gene sighed. He was starting to get tired and wanted to drift off to sleep soon.

Eric pouted and then began to wail. “I want to marry you Gene. You can wear a pretty dress!”

“I don’t want to wear a pretty dress,” Gene growled.

“You’d make a sexy wifey, Genie!”

“Shut up Eric and go to bed,” Gene grumbled as he turned off the bedside lamp.

“Wassat?” Eric asked.

“SLEEP!” Gene groaned as he curled up on his side of the bed, hoping Eric would finally take the hint and go to sleep already.

Eric suddenly climbed on top of Gene. “Marry me!!! Please. Please. Please. Please. Please,” Eric chanted obnoxiously.

“Damnit Eric. I love you but –“

“Thank you!!!” Eric cheered as he pressed his lips against Gene’s, giving the demon a sloppy, wet kiss.

Eric bounced up and down on the bed like a giddy little kid on Christmas day while a stunned Gene merely wiped his lips.

“Oooooh Genie! We’ll be so damn happy snuggling underneath the starry nighttime sky, professing our love to the heavens…”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Eric suddenly frowned and blinked at him in confusion. “Who are you again?”

“Gene,” Gene said as he tried to position Eric so that he was laying on the bed comfortably.

Eric looked at him hard. “Why do I want to marry you again?”

“I have no idea.”

“Oh well…I’ll make you very happy, Gene. I’ll even bring you snacks…” Eric’s voice was suddenly replaced by a long, loud snore.

Gene smiled and shook his head.

“Goodnight Eric,” Gene whispered as he wrapped his arms protectively around the smaller man before drifting off to sleep.


	4. Without You (Gene & Eric.C )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gene visits Eric's grave site.

It was a frigid winter afternoon in New York. Gene had arrived at the Cedar Hill Cemetery. Snow was lightly falling to the earth as a harsh breeze encompassed the area. The cemetery looked and felt peaceful as the noise of nearby traffic was barely prevalent. The snow covered majority of the grass and grave sites.

Eric was waiting for him at the cemetery. He watched Gene carefully and slowly walk into the cemetery grounds, over to the spot where he knew he would go to.

“Gene! There you are! I’ve been waiting here for a while. I knew you’d come back to visit me,” Eric spoke to himself as he watched Gene enter the mausoleum. 

Gene’s expression was solemn. Eric could tell he was trying his hardest not to get all emotional already. He laughed a little, remembering the times whenever Gene was clearly trying his hardest not to cry whenever they watched a sad movie together. Gene would always play it off with the old cliché, ‘there’s something in my eye.’

Gene sighed as he watched a cloud of condensation escape his mouth. His fingers and toes were starting to become uncomfortably numb but he knew he had to do this.  
Eric approached Gene from behind.

“It’s going to be okay, Gene. Just let it out whenever you’re ready.”

Gene blinked back a few cold tears as he reached out a hand to touch the white marbled tomb before him. His gaze fixed on the word, ‘Caravello’ carved into it. Gene sighed again and slowly closed his eyes. It took every ounce of strength to keep him from breaking down.

“It’s…it’s been a long year without you. I can’t believe how fast the time went by. I can’t believe that I’ll have to play another show without you…” Gene did his best to let out the words without shedding any more tears but he just couldn’t hold back the waterworks anymore. Teardrops rolled down into his cheeks and fell into the snow.

“When I first received the call about your death, I refused to believe it. Just like when I first heard about the cancer I..I tried to convince myself that I was hearing it wrong or it was just a nightmare but it wasn’t. I ran out of the studio to see for myself but Paul stopped me. He kept yelling at me…saying that I wasn’t in the right mindset to drive over there to confront those doctors…”Gene stopped and wiped his tears away, attempting to calm himself down.

“You can’t leave me…not you. Eric, next to my mother, you were the purest soul I ever knew. It’s not fair. *sniff* You were always so good to me and I let you down. I’m so sorry, Eric! Paul and I were convinced that you’d pull through. We just thought that…” Gene paused to let more sobs escape his throat.

“The first few weeks were the hardest. It felt like the whole world just collapsed and meant nothing anymore. I mean…how was I supposed to live with myself, knowing that I had cheated you out of your dying wish? How was I supposed to live with the feeling that I would never see my best friend again? I wanted all of this pain to stop. I’ve always been selfish. I never thought for one second that someone I loved so dearly would disappear from this world so soon. But it happened.”

Gene started to shake as he continued to sob.

“I kept having dreams about our little late-night heart-to-heart chats in the hotel room after shows for a while. God, I really miss those. I had another one last night. You were telling me that ‘death is never the end, it’s more so a new beginning. The person that passes will leave their legacy and love behind for others to remember them by.’ *sniff* I remember you then told me to stop being sad and that it was no way to live my life. That dream was the most realistic dream I’ve ever had in my life. It really felt like you were right there beside me,” Gene sighed as he paused to wipe the last remaining tears from his eyes.

“Not a day goes by that I still don’t think of you. I’ll make sure no one ever forgets you.”

Gene formed a little smile after that. He exhaled again and looked up at the sky. The sunshine was starting to try to break through the gray clouds. His smile grew bigger. It felt like a huge relief saying what needed to be said. 

Eric smiled as well as a couple of tears fell from his eyes. He wanted so badly to run over and give his friend a tight hug. 

“I have to go now. I promise to come back and visit you again real soon.”

Gene kissed the palm of his right hand and pressed it gently against Eric’s tomb.

“I love you, Eric.”

Gene sighed, not wanting to leave, but he had a business engagement to attend.

Eric watched him walk out of the cemetery, unable to hold back any more tears.

“I love you too, Gene. I’ll always be here watching over you.”


	5. The Storm (Eric.C & Vinnie)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vinnie vents his frustrations to Eric Carr.

Eric opened his front door and was a bit surprised to see Vinnie standing there in the rain.

The sky was tar-black as the clouds spat out their teardrops of rain.

“Eric..c..c..can I please come in?” Vinnie asked shivering from the cold rain.

“Yes, of course!” Eric exclaimed, inviting the drenched guitarist into his warm home.

“Wait here,” Eric instructed as he walked off into another room.

The heavy rainfall drummed against the roof. So much rain was falling that the sound blurred into one long, whirring noise.

Vinnie wiped his feet on the doormat and, out of respect, took off his boots completely. He knew how over dramatic Carrie got whenever Eric’s friends track mud onto the carpet. As much as he honestly could care less about the playmate shrieking at him, he didn’t want poor Eric to get in trouble.

Eric returned with a blanket, a towel, and a cup of hot tea.

“Thanks,” Vinnie said softly.

“What happened?”

“I got into another argument with Paul and Gene. What the hell else is new?”

“You didn’t have to leave abruptly! Vin, the weather is getting rough out there. I was worried,” Eric said sadly.

Vinnie winced seeing Eric’s saddened expression.

“I’m sorry, Eric, but I just couldn’t stand another minute in that room with those assholes!” Vinnie shouted angrily.

A loud boom of thunder from outside sent a minor tremor through Eric’s home, causing the pictures on his mantel to shake.

Eric stayed silent but noticed the hurt flash within Vinnie’s eyes.

“They would not stop bitching about how my guitar solos are way too long! I can’t believe Paul had the fucking audacity to humiliate me like that! He just rudely cuts me off mid solo! What the fuck, Eric! I mean, you don’t see me shutting him down when he’s running his mouth too long on stage, do ya? I’m just sick of the bullshit! Nothing I ever do is good enough for the band. Nobody ever recognizes my talent. I’m fucking worthless!” Vinnie ranted with tears streaming down his face.

Lightning flashed violently as another boisterous thunder boom shook the contents within Eric’s home again.

“Shhhh…”Eric shushed, pulling him into a loving hug.

“That’s not true, Vin. You’re an incredibly talented guitarist and you bring so much to this band.”

Vinnie sighed as he let his head fall forward on Eric’s shoulder.

“No, I don’t. Paul and Gene hate me. They always have,” Vinnie sobbed.

“They don’t hate you, Vinnie. You wouldn’t be in the band if they hated you.”

“Yes, they do! Everyone does! I’ll always be alone!” Vinnie sobbed harder.

With a sizzling crack of lightning, the power was shut off. 

Eric still held on tightly to a sobbing Vinnie, continuing to comfort his friend in the dark.

“I don’t hate you, Vinnie,” Eric whispered.

“Eric, if you go then I’ll have no one so…please don’t go,” Vinnie cried desperately, clinging to the drummer as if his very life depended on it.

“I’m not going anywhere, Vinnie! Why would you think that? I’ll always be here for you!” Eric reassured as he gently wiped the tears from Vinnie’s face.

His eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness as Vinnie’s face started to come into focus. Eric then gently cradled Vinnie’s cheek in his hand. Vinnie nuzzled into it, enjoying the tender affection. 

“I know what it feels like to be insignificant in this band. I’ve been dealing with that feeling ever since I joined. It will get easier though. Don’t let Paul and Gene get under your skin.”

Eric paused while the thunder continued to rumble lightly in the background.

“You’re an amazing songwriter and a blistering wiz on the guitar chords! Your songs are the reason we’re selling out stadiums again! They need you. I need you, Vinnie” Eric said sweetly.

“Eric, do you really mean that?’ Vinnie asked gently.

“Of course, I do! I love playing with you! Your talent lights a fire under Paul and Gene’s asses,” Eric chuckled.

Vinnie couldn’t help but chuckle too.

“It’ll be alright, Vinnie. You gotta stay positive. Every darkness has a light.”

And with that comment, the power came back on.

“Hey! Would you look at that? See, I told you, Vinnie!” Eric laughed, gesturing towards the irony in his words.

“Eric, thank you for everything,” Vinnie smiled. 

“Don’t mention it, Vin. We gotta look out for each other. We’re the new guys,” Eric grinned.

Vinnie chuckled and nodded in agreement. He was so grateful to have a friend like Eric in his life.  
No matter the circumstances they would weather the storm together.


	6. Do You Love Me? (Vinnie x Paul)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul comforts an abused Vinnie.
> 
> Warning: Contains mentions of domestic violence.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Paul groaned as he tossed and turned in his hotel bed, trying to ignore the persistent knocking on his door. It had been a long day and Paul just couldn’t be bothered with company tonight.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Alright! I’m coming!” Paul shouted as he got up abrasively. Obviously, someone was not taking the hint! Paul sighed as he trudged over to the door, wondering who the hell would dare bother him at this ungodly hour!

He pulled the door open and was faced with Vinnie. A black eyed and bloody nosed Vinnie.

“Oh My God, Vinnie!”

Vinnie just stood there, quivering in fear. Blood was pouring from his nose like a raging waterfall down to the front of shirt. Paul pulled him into the room, running to grab a towel from the bathroom. He led Vinnie to sit on the bed and he gently pressed the hand towel into Vinnie’s nose to help stem the bleeding.

Once the towel soaked up enough blood, Paul pulled it away. He wrapped a few ice cubes in a fresh towel to alternate between Vinnie’s eye and nose.

“What the hell happened to you?” Paul asked frantically, trailing his fingertips across Vinnie’s blueish black shiner under his right eye. Thankfully, nothing was broken, only swollen. The bruise would heal over time like it always does. Vinnie would just have to keep wearing his makeup concealer in public.

Vinnie shivered from the tender touch and looked away in shame.

“That bastard did this, didn’t he?” Paul asked through clenched teeth.

Vinnie refused to meet Paul’s gaze. 

“I fell…”Vinnie whispered.

“Bullshit!”

Vinnie flinched from Paul’s outburst still refusing to look him in the eyes.

“It was an accident…”

“Damnit Vinnie!” Paul cupped Vinnie’s chin to meet his worried gaze.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Paul. I’m not a child!” Vinnie growled as he stood up, making a beeline for the door.

The last thing he needed tonight was to get lectured from Paul.

“Will you just stop and look at me for a second?” Paul asked with a hint of desperation in his voice. His hands grabbed a hold of Vinnie’s arm like his very life depended on it.

Vinnie sighed and turned around.

“Vinnie, look…I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you. I don’t like seeing you hurt,” Paul trailed off, his big brown doe eyes filled to the brim with tears.

Vinnie softened his gaze.

“You deserve better,” Paul finally said.

“Do I?” Vinnie sobbed, letting out all the sadness he was holding in.

Paul pulled him into a tight hug, rubbing his back lovingly.

“Of course, you do! Baby, you’re worth more than this! You must believe that?”

“I don’t know, Paul. I honestly don’t know what I believe in anymore.”

His voice was so small, so weak. Paul had never heard Vinnie sound so broken before.

“You deserve someone who loves you unconditionally.”

Paul pulled Vinnie into a gentle kiss. Vinnie returned the kiss with gentle pecks, and pulled away in shock. They just stared at one another, neither man knowing just where these affections were going to go…and neither man really cared where they ended up.

“Do you love me?” Vinnie asked softly.

Paul nibbled at his neck playfully. Vinnie couldn’t help but giggle at the ticklish sensation. Paul looked at him and smiled, obviously pleased to hear him laugh.

“Yes, I do,” Paul whispered huskily in Vinnie’s ear.

Vinnie smiled as his eyes met Paul’s again. 

“I don’t want you to ever go back to that asshole. He’s never going to hurt you again.”

Vinnie chuckled. “Oh, my knight in shining armor...”

Paul kissed Vinnie more passionately this time. Vinnie moaned as he slid his hands up Paul’s shirt. Paul pulled the shirt off, and Vinnie felt a surge of emotion rip through his gut. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, far from it actually, but more of a pang of anticipation.

He’d heard countless tales of Paul’s passionate nights with groupies, and had, at times, let it flash through his mind what it would be like to be with Paul. Now he was about to find out.

Vinnie grinned as he pinned Paul down onto the bed. He was determined to make Paul feel as good as he made him feel at that very moment.


	7. With Love, Your Biggest Fan (Gene x Eric.C)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gene writes Eric fan mail.
> 
> POV Gene

Eric Carr had been our new drummer for a couple of months. Life on the road was making him feel like a fish out of water. Though he desperately tried to hide it, it was as clear as day to me. It happened after every show. The fans and groupies would swarm me, Paul and Ace, praising and fawning over us like gods. They would run right past and sometimes into Eric, not even acknowledging him a simple glance. I mean, he was a bit of a small fry in the crowd. They don’t thank him, or tell him he did a good job. To them, The Fox was simply a temporary drummer until The Catman returned.

Night after night, I observed as a tensed Eric stood alone in the corner backstage. We would try to pull him in front of the crowd and talk of all the great things he did and how his drumming was breathing new life into KISS. It only fell on blank stares and deaf ears. The KISS army had not quite accepted Eric as the band’s new drummer just yet.

Eric never once resented us or the fans for his exclusion. He understood replacing a founding band member would not be easy. He, himself looked up to Peter Criss, and he knew he had some big shoes to fill once he accepted the role as KISS’s drummer. Eric continued to work his ass off with a big smile on his face on and off stage. His optimistic attitude never faltered even when he didn’t receive any fan mail. Eric would sit quietly, pretending to busy his interest with the TV Guide while we dug into our Mount Everest sized piles of handwritten love letters. Eric didn’t know that I was secretly watching him. The pain on his face haunted me later that night. I couldn’t sleep, every time I closed my eyes all I could see was his face flushed red with tears brimming in his eyes. I overheard him confess to a crew member that he didn’t feel like he belonged with us. That confession broke my heart. He was hurting, and I had to do something about it. I wanted to show him that he was very much loved and adored too!

I sighed as I got up from my hotel bed, flicking on the little lamp on top of the work desk. I pulled out a pen and the stationery from the drawer and started writing my letter.

 _With Love, Your Biggest Fan_

The reaction was far greater than I ever imagined. I had snuck the letter into the band’s incoming mailbag on the way into the rehearsal space. The look on Eric’s face was priceless, he looked like an excited child on Christmas morning. As soon as it was handed to him, he opened it as carefully as possible, as if it was made of the most precious material in the world. Once he read the actual letter, he was literally bouncing off the walls in joy. Pure joy. Not just the fake smile he would give to hide behind the pain that he had felt. He was truly happy. My breathing hitched and it took every ounce of self-control to keep me from getting teary eyed. Eric was precious. I would do anything to keep him this happy forever!

I started to write the letters as often as possible, each one becoming longer and more passionate than the last. I was a bit confused at these sudden intense emotions for Eric. All I wanted to do was to cheer my friend up, but I just couldn’t stop baring my soul to him on paper. I couldn’t imagine a world worth living if Eric was unhappy. Whenever he smiled, my heart would stop. I wanted to hold Eric tightly, daring any evil to try and hurt my sweet little fox!

_With Love, Your Secret Admirer_

I don’t remember when I started signing that, it just started to happen. I was becoming more comfortable writing these love letters. Eric seemed in constant high, always singing a happy tune to himself and walking with a spring in his step. He looked absolutely gorgeous smiling brightly as he hugged my letter against his heart. I desperately wanted to kiss him.

I wanted to kiss him?

I wanted to kiss my dear friend…

I stared at the paper, my mind a flurry of emotions. The pen trembled in my hand as tears of frustration fell silently, though I made sure not to let them spill onto the letter. With a heavy sigh, I wrote what needed to be said.

_With Love, Your Biggest Fan and Secret Admirer_

It wasn’t a fictional person sending Eric these letters. I was not writing them from a point of view of a fan that had never spoken to Eric before and only thought of him as a Rock n’ Roll God. These were my thoughts and feelings for him. I had come to terms that I was madly in love with Paul Charles Caravello.

I had never been more anxious in my life then when Eric read this letter. Eric was confused at first and re-read it dozens of times before it actually sunk in. He wasn’t angry or creeped out, thankfully. He actually blushed.

And he didn’t stop smiling.

Eric didn’t know it was me. He didn’t know I was the one professing my deepest desires for him. He couldn’t know, no matter how much I longed for those smiles to be for me, no matter how much I craved for his touch, no matter how I would kill for just one kiss, he could never know the truth.

Because it would hurt him.

He would resent me and I couldn’t live with that.

I was always so careful when I was writing, especially when Eric shared a room with me. I always completed and hid the evidence from Eric before I fell asleep. Only this time…I was distracted with a phone interview that I had accidentally left the letter out on the desk while I was in the other room.

My entire world came crashing down when I returned to a devastated Eric. Eric was standing at the desk, holding my letter, shaking violently, a look of horror and terror on his face. The look on Eric’s face caused my blood to freeze and my heart to practically shatter. He looked betrayed, as if I had destroyed everything that mattered to him.

He wasn’t smiling anymore. 

I tried to speak. My throat was dry and I could barely breath, until I saw the tears. I had hurt him. Suddenly, I started confessing or rather babbling incoherently of all of the things I would write about, and why I wrote about them. I talked for hours, tears streaming down both our faces. I tried to focus on an explanation, but I kept repeating the very things I wrote to him. I told him how beautiful he was to me, how much he meant to me and how much I wanted him to be happy. I couldn’t shut up if I wanted to.

I told him how much I loved him. He had stopped crying by then. His face was blank but as soon as I started to speak— 

He hugged me. 

“Did you really mean everything you wrote, Gene?” He asked softly, his face buried into my shoulder. 

“Yes, with all my heart,” I wailed, holding him tight, placing a gentle kiss atop his poofy mane. 

Pulling back, he looked me in the eyes and gave me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen from him. 

He was smiling for me!

It’s been a few months since then. The fans have started to accept Eric and realize what an incredible person he truly is! He has fans and groupies stampeding towards him after the shows now and, he has even started receiving an abundance of fan mail. He receives as many love letters as Paul, much to Paul’s dismay! 

I still write him love letters, leaving them on his nightstand before the show, and Eric silently reads them afterwards. He tells me my letters are his favorite ones to read! The angelic smiles he gives were no longer for a mystery person who lived in the shadows. They were for me. 

And that was the greatest gift I could have ever received.


	8. A Tight Spot (Gene x Vinnie, Tommy x Jaime)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Vincent Cusano finds himself in a tight predicament, but Dr. Gene Simmons is there to lend a helping hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot was written as a KISS Kollege AU request.
> 
> Warning: Contains innuendos

Dr. Vincent Cusano stormed off into his office, slamming the door shut, causing all of his Egyptian pictures and memorabilia hanging on the walls to rattle. He knew he would catch hell from the Department Head about his attitude later but right now he really couldn’t give a damn!

Today had been a living nightmare. He was exhausted from grading midterm research papers last night and had forgotten to set his alarm for the next day. Vinnie had skipped breakfast just to be able to make it to the university at a decent time. Unfortunately, Mark had stolen his parking spot, forcing him to park on the complete opposite side of the campus. This detour caused Vinnie to miss his first class entirely. The Anthropology Department Head chewed him out all morning for his carelessness. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, Vinnie had caught Dr. Simmons fraternizing with some woman at lunch.

After such a horrible morning, Vinnie did not want to spend his lunch period alone. Paul was the only professor that didn’t have class during this time. The two agreed to check out the new hipster café that just opened up down the street. Things started off well until Vinnie spotted Gene sitting with a very attractive blonde lady a few booths over. Vinnie knew Gene’s schedule like the back of his hand. Gene was supposed to be teaching his Educational Psychology 101 class today! What was he doing here with this woman?

Vinnie had lost his appetite. He couldn’t stomach his overpriced avocado toast watching Gene flirt with this woman while she rubbed her slender fingers up and down his arm. When she leaned in to kiss him, Vinnie had enough. Paul was ranting about acrylic paint when Vinnie got up from the table abruptly. He couldn’t stay there a minute longer. Paul scoffed as Vinnie threw his money on the table and left the café without an explanation. He knew Paul would gossip about his rude behavior to the other professors later.

When Vinnie returned to the university, he made sure to cancel his classes for the rest of the day and informed the receptionist to not forward any phone calls to his office. He wanted to be left alone. Once Vinnie had shut his door, the tears started to fall freely. He knew it was foolish to get worked up over an asshole like Dr. Simmons! Gene and him may not have been official, but what they did have between them was special, or so Vinnie had thought. Taking a few deep breathes to calm down, Vinnie decided to finish grading the research papers as a distraction. He reached over to grab the small stack of papers off the table behind him with shaky hands, dropping them to the floor in the process.

“Damnit!” Vinnie growled, bending down to pick up the papers. His nerves were still shot from earlier. One of the pesky papers had slid under his desk. With a heavy sigh, Vinnie got on his stomach to attempt to reach the paper under the small opening. His fingertips grazed the tip, but he was unable to grip it firmly.

“Give me a fucking break!” Vinnie screamed out to no one in particular. He was beyond done with today. Why didn’t he just get a normal office desk? No, he just had to have a desk with built in filing cabinets underneath to maximize office space.

Vinnie pulled himself up and walked around to the front of his desk. He carefully removed one of the filing drawers, giving himself a small crawl space underneath his desk. Vinnie leaned down on his knees, crawling into the small opening. It was a very uncomfortable tight squeeze for his upper torso, but Vinnie managed to forcefully wedge himself in there far enough to obtain the paper. Once he had the paper in his hands, he attempted to crawl back out but was unable to move from that spot.

In panic, Vinnie began thrashing around under his desk to wiggle himself loose, causing his stapler, pens, mini Great Sphinx of Giza figurine, and folders of paperwork on top of his desk to fall to the floor. With a few deep breaths, Vinnie tried to push himself out with every ounce of strength he could muster. He still remained wedged in the same position. Undeterred, Vinnie continued to try to back out from under the desk. He got himself in that position, he knew he could get himself out!

Vinnie was too busy focusing on escaping his tight prison to hear Gene enter his office. Gene’s eyes went wide at the sight before him. Vinnie was on his hands and knees with his pert bottom proudly displayed in the air. Oh, what a glorious sight to behold.

Gene smirked, cocking his head. “Well, this is awkward.”

“Professor Simmons! OWW!” Vinnie shrieked, bumping his head in surprise.

“That’s DOCTOR Simmons and what in the hell are you doing?” he asked with sheer amusement.

Vinnie gritted his teeth in anger. “One of my student’s research papers fell under my desk.”

Gene noticed Vinnie’s struggling movements. “Are you stuck?” he couldn’t help but grin widely.

Vinnie wanted to tell Gene where to go and how to get there fast but realized he may need the other man’s help after all. “Yes…” he sighed in self-defeat.

Gene was laughing so hard he could barely form a coherent sentence. “HAHAHAHA! This is! HAHAHAHA! Something I would! HAHAHAHA! Have never expected! HAHAHAHA! From you! HAHAHAHA!”

Vinnie rolled his eyes. Thankfully, Gene could not see the embarrassment evident on his face from under the desk. “Yeah…yeah…just shut up and help me out, will you? It’s getting harder to breathe from under here.”

Once Gene composed himself, he gripped Vinnie’s hips firmly; his callous fingers digging into the slender professor’s sides.

“Ready?” Gene asked.

“Ready,” Vinnie confirmed.

Once Vinnie gave the word, Gene pulled while Vinnie pushed.

“Damn, baby you’re in there tight,” Gene grunted, pulling Vinnie with more force.

“OW! OW! OW! DAMNIT! STOP IT!” Vinnie cried out in pain as his shoulders scraped against the metallic grooves inside the desk.

Gene ceased his rough pulling.

“This isn’t going to work, Gene. We need another tactic.”

Meanwhile…. next door inside a utility closet, Professor Tommy Thayer and Professor Jaime St. James were in the middle of a heated make out session. Tommy pulled away from Jaime when he heard a strange noise.

“Mmm...what’s wrong?” Jaime purred, playfully nibbling Tommy’s neck.

“Did you hear something?” Tommy asked skeptically; his body becoming tense in case someone was about to barge into the closet.

Jaime blinked in confusion. “No.”

“I thought I heard yelling.”

“I don’t hear anything,” Jaime shrugged, trying to listen closely for any suspicious noises.

The two continued their intense smooch fest when another loud noise forced them apart.

“YOU CAN PUSH YOURSELF THROUGH THAT SMALL OPENING!”

“NO, I CAN’T! MY HEAD IS WAY TOO BIG!”

“YES, YOU CAN. I KNOW YOU CAN FIT! JUST PUSH!”

“ARUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH!”

“THAT’S IT! HARDER! JUST PUSH IT HARDER!”

“I TOLD YOU! I CAN’T FIT!”

“LISTEN, JUST PUSH YOURSELF IN THERE REALLY HARD AND THEN BACK OUT QUICKLY AND THEN PUSH YOURSELF BACK IN THERE EVEN HARDER!”

Suddenly, Tommy remembered whose office was directly next door.

“Umm, Jaime? Let’s finish this back in your office,” Tommy suggested, blushing hotly from what he had just heard.

Jaime had a big goofy smile on his face, holding his hand on his heart. “Ahhh…lovers in the throes of passion. Such beautiful music they make,” he sighed as if he were hearing the most precious noise in the entire world.

Tommy rolled his eyes, grabbing Jaime by the arm to leave. Three students watched with arched eyebrows as Professor Thayer and Professor St. James emerged with flushed faces out of the utility closet, acting nonchalantly as if everything was normal.

Vinnie was flushed and exhausted from trying to push himself through to the other side of his desk.

“Forget it, Gene! I’m not going out that way. I’m going to be stuck like this forever,” Vinnie whined through exasperated breaths.

“Well, it is your better half,” Gene teased, giving Vinnie’s butt a playful pinch.

“Shut up, Gene,” Vinnie growled, flinching from the pinch.

Gene examined Vinnie’s position closely before speaking. “OK, here’s an idea. Relax your muscles, sink to the floor and let’s try to pull you out that way.”

Vinnie was too exhausted to argue and just went limp. With a few heavy tugs, Vinnie was able to finally slide out of there.

“Thank you, Gene!” Vinnie wheezed, running a hand through his hair. “Remind me to tell the receptionist to order me a new desk.”

Gene nodded, helping to pull Vinnie up to his feet. “You can pay me back with some afternoon delight,” he cooed, wiggling his tongue flirtatiously at Vinnie.

Vinnie was ready to rejoice when he remembered why he was angry with Gene in the first place. “You have some nerve! Why don’t you go get some from your new girlfriend!” Vinnie hissed, smacking Gene in the chest.

Gene arched an eyebrow. “I don’t have a girlfriend, Vin.”

Vinnie clenched his fists in rage. “Don’t you dare lie to me! I saw you getting cozy with that blonde lady at the café today when you should have been teaching a class!”

Gene smirked. “Oh, you must mean Dr. Shannon Tweed, the sex therapist. I invited her to be a guest speaker for my Advanced Educational Psychology class this morning. I’m teaching a chapter on Human Sexuality and how it affects educational learning purposes. I gave my Educational Psychology 101 students the day off to study for their mid-terms. I found Dr. Tweed’s lecture on sexuality quite fascinating, so I invited her to lunch to inquire more since I had a free period.”

Vinnie squinted his eyes in suspicion. “I’m sure you wanted to learn more one on one.”

“I spent the entire free period talking about you,” Gene said, grabbing Vinnie’s hand.

Vinnie blushed. “Did you...really?”

Gene leaned in closer to Vinnie. “Yes…she insisted I try some new things with you,” he whispered in a husky tone. “I overheard from Paul you were having a rough morning, and I wanted to help you relax later.”

Vinnie grinned, pulling Gene in for a sweet kiss. “I cancelled my late afternoon classes. Let’s take off early, grab an early dinner and go back to your place to try these new things, Dr. Tweed recommended,” Vinnie purred, leading a grinning Gene by the hand out of his office, ignoring the smug grins the three students in the hallway were giving the pair.


	9. Hole In The Wall (Ace x Peter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace busts a hole through his hotel wall to reunite with Peter.

Peter sat on the floor with his back against the wall, gazing bleary eyed at his half empty bottle of Vodka. He was quite strung out from the lines he snorted moments ago. Technicolor shapes warped and danced across his line of vision.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Peter could hear Ace destroy his hotel room next door. It sounded like he trying to break their neighboring wall down with a jackhammer. Under normal circumstances, Peter would be happily joining his friend in the demolition party but right now he had other things on his mind.

“I don’t love Lydia anymore,” Peter whispered sadly, taking another swig from his bottle. He welcomed the pain in his throat with a satisfying “Ah” noise. 

VROOM! VROOM! VROOM! VROOM!

Ace must be using the chainsaw now.

Peter sighed, thinking back to his phone call earlier. Lydia had been crying and screaming at him, accusing him of cheating! It wasn’t cheating if it was just sex, right? He didn’t love those groupies. They were merely there for his entertainment. He was a Rockstar after all! It’s not his fault he was blessed with a well-endowed member. Hell, it would be a sin to not use such a divine gift. What was the harm? Surely, Lydia was just overreacting, like always.

“George Peter John Criscuola, I know there’s another woman in your life! You’re in love with another woman, just admit it!” She had shrieked at him.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Was Ace using a crowbar now?

“I’m not in love with another woman!” Peter had shouted back into the receiver. 

He was in love with another man.

The very thought terrified Peter. He had developed feelings for his best friend. Ace was everything that Lydia was not. He was charming, adventurous and hilarious! Ace radiated an energy that was just…so out of this world.

Peter blushed, remembering the first time they kissed.

Ace and Peter were both drunk off their asses at an after party a few nights ago. They were in a closet getting busy with an equally drunken chick. Sharing partners was not outrageous for them. However, as soon as the girl passed out, the two directed their lust towards each other.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

Now what in the hell was he doing!?

Peter continued to ignore the violent tremors coming from the wall behind him. Instead he rubbed his lips touched his lips while thinking about Ace.

The kiss was sloppy but still very sweet. Ace had wrapped his arms around Peter, pulling him into a protective hug. Peter felt…safe. Throughout his entire life living in Brooklyn, Peter had no concept of the word “safe.” You had to fight like hell to survive. The Catman knew this first hand after his many encounters with death.   
But there was something about that night. Ace’s touch had sent an electrical surge through his veins. No street drug ever gave him that kind of rush before! It was a feeling…so addicting. Peter craved that sweet burning heat much like he craved a cocaine fix. He needed it BAD!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Peter could feel Ace ramming something heavy against the wall. The drummer still sat against the wall completely undeterred from Ace’s chaotic tomfoolery next door.  
Peter couldn’t stop thinking about Ace. Lydia was nothing in comparison to Ace! She didn’t have eyes like the stars! She didn’t make him feel any safer in this cruel, cruel world! And there was never an electrical spark between them when they made love!

Peter couldn’t hold in anymore. His dam of emotions was threatening to break free at any moment!

CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH!

A powerful blast of drywall and debris burst through the wall, narrowly missing contact with Peter’s head. Peter was still a bit dizzy from the booze and drugs to be able to register what had just happened.

“PETER!!!!!” cried out a familiar voice.

Peter turned his head to see Ace staring back at him through a medium sized hole in the wall.

“Ace!” Peter said in surprise, staring back into the beautiful eyes of his beloved spaceman.

“I needed tah see yaaaa…I gotta….tell ya sum…thing….import thant,” Ace slurred, reaching his hand through the hole, clumsily trying to find Peter’s hand.

Peter grabbed a hold of Ace’s hand firmly. “What is it?”

“I’m in loooove with ya, Cat!”

“Ace! I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me!” Peter wailed, interlacing his fingers with Ace’s fingers.

“What the fuck have you done!?” shrieked Frankie as he came running into Ace’s room, pulling the drunken spaceman from the hole, looking horrified at the blazed Peter Criss staring back at him on the other side.

“I needed tah see ‘im! I miss ‘im!” Ace whined, looking up into Frankie’s eyes with a bloodshot pleading look.

“Why didn’t you just go next door to see him?” the pissed off road manager raged.

“Beeecause I looooooove ‘im!”

“I love you too, Ace!” Peter cried, trying to reach his hand through to the other side.

“That’s enough! Get to bed both of you! The hotel manager is on his way up here!” Frankie freaked, using the TV to cover as much of Ace’s damage as possible.

Within a few minutes, a loud knock was heard at Ace’s door.

“What’s going on in here!? My phone has been ringing off the hook all night with complaints of loud noises and heavy machinery use coming from this room! You better not be destroying hotel property or I’m calling the cops!”

Peter listened as Frankie answered the door, apologizing for the inconvenience, assuring the manager that Ace had been asleep this entire time. It was the same well-rehearsed script that the poor road manager had to recite at EVERY hotel they stayed at on tour. He was quite skilled at covering for Ace and Peter’s bullshit.

Peter listened to the conversation with his ear against the wall. The hotel manager was not convinced and wanted to see for himself! Once Frankie did let him in, he clearly saw Ace looked to be fast asleep in bed. Frankie did a hell of a job hiding the hole, because the hotel manager didn’t seem to notice.

“If he was asleep then where did all of those noises come from!?”

With a heavy sigh, Frankie escorted a still skeptical hotel manager out of Ace’s room and down the hallway.

“I better not get any more complaints tonight!” he could hear the hotel manager’s voice down the hall.

Once the coast was clear, Ace jumped out of bed and threw the TV across the room, revealing his newly demolished hole into Peter’s room.

“Hiya Cat!” Ace cackled, waving like a buffoon to Peter on the other side.

“Hiya Acey!” Peter giggled, waving back at him.

“I love you!

“I love you too!”


	10. Nightmare (Bruce x Eric.C )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric sneaks into Bruce’s room after watching a scary movie.

The bedroom door opened with a creak and banged back on its spring. Eric poked his head in the room to observe the surroundings. A few feet away was a peacefully sleeping Bruce. His long arms and legs were intertwined with the bed sheets and pillows.

Eric grinned as he tip toed his way over to the other side of the bed, climbing in quietly to not disturb Bruce. Instantly, Eric felt safe and warm next to the guitarist. Bruce always made him feel secure whenever he was near. With a gentle yawn, Eric curled up against Bruce’s back, wrapping his arms around the taller man’s chest. Eric was on the cusp of sleep when he accidentally knee’d Bruce in the butt, causing him to wake up in a jolt.

“Uhhh…The album comes out September 21st,” Bruce replied sleepily, sitting up in attention on his bed.

Bruce looked around the dark room deliriously. His tired eyes slowly adjusting to the strange dark shapes around the room. Where was the studio audience? Where was the interviewer? Once Bruce got his wits about him, he realized he was in his own room. It must have been a dream.

“Go back to sleep, Brucie” came a sleepy voice to his right.

Bruce snapped his head to the right in surprise. “Eric! What are you doing here!?”

Eric sat up with a big smile. “I just wanted to cuddle,” he said, throwing himself into Bruce’s arms, nuzzling into the guitarist’s broad chest.

Bruce craned his head and squinted his eyes at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “You come to my room and wake me up at am to cuddle?” he asked half amused, half annoyed.

With a sigh, Eric looked up at him with his big, sweet doe eyes. “I never should have let Gene talk me into watching that scary movie. I can’t sleep!” he wailed, hugging Bruce tightly.

Bruce sighed, but rubbed his hands gently up and down Eric’s back to comfort the distraught drummer. “Have you tried watching something happy on TV?”

“Yes…It didn’t help.”

“OK…how about a glass of warm milk?”

“Tried it…I’m still awake.”

“Read a book?”

“Didn’t work.”

“Well…maybe if you just close your eyes, you’ll eventually go to sleep.”

“No! That’s the problem!” Eric whined; his voice was muffled through Bruce’s shirt.

“I don’t understand, Eric. I thought you were trying to get some sleep,” Bruce said softly, resting his chin atop Eric’s poofy hair while he continued stroking the smaller man’s back soothingly.

“Whenever I try to sleep, I have these horrible nightmares,” Eric sighed, looking up at Bruce.

“I see…”Bruce paused in deep thought before answering, “What kind of nightmares?”

“We’re both locked in this house and some horrible monster takes you away from me,” Eric tensed, remembering the vivid imagery of his nightmare.

Bruce ceased the back stroking when he noticed Eric was shaking uncontrollably. “Eric, are you OK?”

“I try to go after you, but it’s so dark and all of the doors are locked. I can hear your cries and screams in the next room but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get to you in time,” Eric sniffled, clinging onto Bruce’s shoulders as if his very life depended on it.

“Awww Eric,” Bruce cooed, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from Eric’s eyes. “Don’t be sad. It was only a nightmare.”

Y..yeah but it just felt so real,” Eric hiccupped. “I…I know it was only a nightmare, but I just wanted to be with you.”

Bruce kissed Eric’s cheek. “I’m always here for you, Eric! No one will ever take me away from you. I won’t let that happen.”

Eric nodded, wiping the remaining tears from his eyes.

“Besides…it’s very unlikely someone can easily drag me out of a room, given my height and all,” Bruce teased, nudging Eric playfully.

Eric giggled at the joke. “Heh…yeah, I guess that is true.”

“We’ve still got a few more hours before daybreak. Do you wanna try to go back to sleep?” Bruce asked gently.

Eric yawned, stretching his arms out. “Yeah…I feel much better now. I think I can finally sleep.”

Bruce smiled. “Then comere then, my little spoon,” he teased, pulling Eric against his chest as the two laid back down onto the bed.

“Goodnight Brucie,” Eric cooed, turning his head to give Bruce a sweet kiss on the lips.

“Goodnight Foxy,” Bruce whispered, resting his hands on top of Eric’s hands before closing his eyes.

Eric smiled happily as he nestled comfortably into Bruce’s arms. All was right in the world now. He was not living in some sordid nightmarish world. He was here, safe and sound with Bruce. With every heavy breath, Eric found it harder and harder to keep his eyes open, finally succumbing to the comfort of sleep. This time when Eric slept, he had no more nightmares.


	11. Spaghetti (Bruce x Eric.C)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Eric share a spaghetti dinner.

Bruce and Eric trudged slowly into their home, collapsing onto the couch in exhaustion.

“I never thought rehearsals were going to end,” Eric whined, laying his head on Bruce’s chest. He couldn’t help but smile once he heard Bruce’s steady heartbeat. He always felt so comfortable and safe in Bruce’s arms, no matter what.

“Tell me about it,” Bruce sighed, rubbing his hands up and down Eric’s back tenderly before settling down to the smaller man’s waist.

Paul had them rehearsing their asses off nonstop all week. He was determined for everything to be needle-nosed-pin-point perfect for their upcoming tour next week. Come hell or high water, KISS would be back to selling out stadiums or so help them! Thankfully, they at least had the weekend to rest. The calm before the storm. They both gave a gentle sigh, resting comfortably in each other’s arms. They would have been content to stay like that longer if it wasn’t for their growling stomachs.

“Hungry?” Eric teased, poking Bruce’s tummy.

“MmmHmm...Why don’t you go into the kitchen and whip us up something to eat?” Bruce suggested, stretching back into the couch.

Eric snorted. “Yeah! Why don’t you?”

“I’m too tired!” Bruce smirked up at Eric.

“Me too!” Eric responded, resting his forehead against Bruce’s forehead.

“We could go out somewhere,” Bruce suggested, nuzzling Eric’s nose.

“Oh yeah…And who’s going to drive?” Eric asked with an arched eyebrow while Bruce gave him a sheepish grin, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Oh, C’mon Bruce! I drove to and from rehearsals today! It’s your turn!”

Bruce thought for a minute. “We could always just order a pizza.”

“We did that last night and the night before. I’m getting a bit tired of pizza. What about that Thai food we had for lunch yesterday?” Eric asked, feeling a bit hopeful.

Bruce chuckled. “You polished off the rest of those leftovers for lunch today,” he teased, tickling Eric’s sides making him giggle and squirm. “You didn’t even offer me a bite either.”

Eric giggled, trying to break away from Bruce’s ticklish slender fingers. “I’m sorry! There wasn’t that much left anyway! I think we still have some cereal left in the pantry!”

Bruce ceased his tickling. “Nah, it seems like we only ever eat cereal or pizza these days.”

Eric sighed, sitting up in Bruce’s lap. “Then what are we going to do? We’re out of frozen burritos…”

“What about spaghetti? It’s an easy, quick dinner fix.”

Eric smiled at that idea. “That sounds good! And you know what…I think we do have some frozen garlic breadsticks too.”

Bruce grinned, lightly patting Eric’s hips signaling him to get up. “Alright, spaghetti it is! Let’s go to work.”

The two went into the kitchen and began making the preparations. Bruce took the angel hair pasta out of the packet, spilling it into a large pot of boiling hot water. While the water simmered, he went back to the cupboard for the jar of Italian seasoned sauce to heat up in a smaller sauce pan. Eric took two garlic breadsticks from the freezer and placed them in the oven.

About twenty minutes later the room was filled with the tantalizing aroma of spaghetti sauce and garlic bread.

“Mmm…That smells so good!” Eric sighed, walking up to Bruce as he was stirring the sauce into the pasta.

Bruce picked up a fork, rolling some of the spaghetti onto it, offering it to Eric lovingly. “Does it taste as good as it smells?” he asked with a sly smirk.

Eric grinned at the delicious offering, accepting it happily. Bruce watched in awe as Eric sipped the noodles into his mouth.

“Mmmmm….”Eric moaned passionately; his eyes rolling into the back of his head. “Yessss…so good! Thank you Brucie!” he cooed, giving Bruce a playful kiss on his cheek.

Bruce wrapped his arms Eric, pulling him into a loving hug. “I’m glad I could make you happy, Foxy,” he said, kissing the top of Eric’s head.

“You always make me happy, Bruce,” Eric giggled, nuzzling into the warmth of Bruce’s chest.

“So do you…”

The two shared a heartfelt look until the smell of burning garlic ripped Eric away from Bruce.

Bruce inhaled the air. “Do I smell burnt toast?”

“Oh shit! The garlic bread!” Eric cried, running over to the oven. A thin veil of gray smoke erupted from the oven door when Eric opened it hastily. 

“Everything okay?” Bruce asked, reaching for a plate and utensils from the cupboard for the spaghetti.

“Yes. I saved them just in…Ow!...the nick…Ow!...of time,” Eric gasped, pulling the hot bread out of the oven to quickly deposit them into the bread basket.

Bruce scooped a hearty helping of the spaghetti onto a single plate. “You know what would pair nicely with this meal? Some wine!”

Eric placed the bread basket on the center of the table. “I think I saw a bottle of Zinfandel in the spirits cabinet! I’ll go grab it!”

“Perfect!” Bruce smiled, carrying the plate of spaghetti with two wine glasses over to the dinner table. “Is it alright if we share a plate?”

“Always,” Eric said, popping the bottle top, pouring a generous amount into each glass. “This is starting to look very romantic,” he teased, nibbling on some garlic bread as he took a seat.

Bruce chuckled. “All we need are some candles and an accordion player.” An idea popped in Bruce’s head as he went over to dim the dining room lights, providing a much more romantic atmosphere.

“Oh, this is the night. It’s a beautiful night. And we call it bella notte,” Eric sung out in his best Italian accent impression, using his hand to gesture towards the sky.

“Look at the skies. They have stars in their eyes. On this lovely bella notte,” Bruce sung, taking a seat next to Eric, stroking the side of his face tenderly.

The two joined in together, toasting their wine glasses in the process. “For this is the night. And the heavens are right. On this lovely bella notte.”

The two chatted away, teasing each other and laughing like dorks in-between bites of food. Their grueling schedule often permitted them from spending this kind of quality time together. As much as they enjoyed being on the road, it was these cherished moments at home the two preferred over everything else. 

Bruce sipped some spaghetti, unaware that Eric was sipping on the same strand. When they sipped it fully into their mouths, their lips met, and their eyes widened in surprise.

They both pulled away quickly with a kiss sound, grinning at what had just happened.

Eric leaned in to capture Bruce’s lips once more. “You had some sauce on your lips,” he teased, licking his own.

“And you have some on your shirt,” Bruce smirked, gesturing a half-bitten garlic bread to the small red sauce spot on Eric’s shirt.

“Oh geez! Not again! I’m such a schmuck!” Eric whined, reaching for a napkin.

Bruce grinned in amusement while Eric cursed, trying to wipe the smudge off with his napkin in vain. “Since you can’t feed yourself properly allow me to be of assistance,” he said, offering Eric another helping of spaghetti from his fork.

“Mmm…you know Brucie…I think it tastes even more delicious when someone feeds it to you,” Eric said thoughtfully, chewing up the last bit of the food.

“Does it now?” Bruce asked curiously after taking a sip of his wine.

“It really does! Try it!” Eric cooed, offering his fork full of spaghetti to Bruce.

Bruce smiled, taking a bit from Eric’s fork, chewing it thoughtfully. “Mmm…you’re right, Foxy. It does taste better.”

The two went back and forth feeding each other the spaghetti until the plate was empty.

“Wow, I’m stuffed! This was such a great idea! Thank you for dinner, Bruce,” Eric beamed, rubbing his tummy.

“Well…I couldn’t have done it with you, so thank you, Eric,” Bruce complimented, pulling the smaller man in closer for another sweet kiss.

“So…the night’s still young. What do you say we grab a blanket and finish this bottle of wine under the stars?” Bruce asked as soon they broke from the kiss.

“Sounds romantic!” Eric sighed, batting his eyelashes playfully at Bruce.

Both men snickered, leaning in for more kisses, enjoying every bit of these tender moments, sharing their love for one another.


	12. Paul's Birthday (Tommy x Paul, Gene x Eric.S)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected mistake turns into a happy accident.

Tommy looked forward to all special occasions. He adored gatherings, celebrating milestones with his loved ones. However, there was one special occasion in particular that the guitarist had been prepping for months: Paul’s birthday.

The Spaceman would be the first to admit his infatuation with The Starchild. Who could blame him? Paul was the whole package; smart, sexy, kind, and talented. The two had spent a lot of time together, bonding over their shared love of painting, and Tommy cherished every minute of it. He adored any chance to be with Paul, really, but there was something special and intimate about their art sessions. He had taught Paul a few tips here and there, and Paul took to it like a natural. Paul wasn’t just painting a canvas; he was baring his soul. His radiant smile sent butterflies a flutter throughout Tommy’s stomach when he mixed his paints. There was a childlike wonder that twinkled within those beautiful chocolate eyes as the brush met the canvas ever so delicately. Paul was soft and vulnerable. It was a side of himself that he shields from the world out of fear and that made Tommy sad. Paul was at his most beautiful whenever he could let go and create. And Tommy was determined to help set him free.

As the party guests were busy mingling in Paul’s living room, Tommy was busy setting up his grand gift display in the art studio. Gene and Eric distracted Paul while Tommy meticulously re-arranged the color palette to be perfect. Nothing was too good for his Paul. He smiled as he observed his display.

“Hey Tommy, if you want any cake you better hurry before Gene monopolizes the sweets table,” Eric announced, walking into the studio with a glass of champagne. “Holy shit! How many cans of paint did you buy!?” he exclaimed, nearly spilling his drink all over the floor.

“Seventy-two,” Tommy replied with pride. “All seventy-two colors of Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint. It took me weeks to get every single color to complete the collection,” he gestured to the colorful pyramid display in the center of the room.

Eric blinked, completely gobsmacked at the impressive rainbow pyramid before him. “Of all the things you could’ve bought Paul, you spent weeks buying various fingerpaints!”

“This is the highest quality acrylic paint on the market. All of the great artists use this brand. It’s in very high demand!” Tommy blurted out, explaining his reasoning to the skeptic drummer.

Eric squinted his eyes. “Oh yeah? What’s so special about it?”

Tommy carefully pulled a red bottle down from the display. He opened the top to show Eric the buttery red consistency inside. “Each color is uniquely formulated to bring out the brilliance and clarity of the individual pigment. It’s perfect for color mixing.”

Eric still couldn’t see what was so great about this overpriced paint. It looked like regular red paint to him, but he knew Tommy went to a lot of trouble to get it for Paul, and he knew how important it was for his friend, so he tried to be as cordial as he could, “Yeah, that red is…very red,” he smiled, patting Tommy on the back. “I’m sure Paul will love it.”

Tommy smiled back at his friend. “Paul is an artistic genius! He only deserves the best.”

Eric scratched his head while observing Paul’s latest painting titled, “Doors Of Perception” in confusion. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far…I mean, this door looks more like a window!”

“I think it looks like a waffle.”

Tommy and Eric turned their heads to see Gene propped outside the door, munching on his cake.

Tommy shook his head. “You guys aren’t looking deep enough into the emotionally charged compositions. It’s Abstract Art. It’s not supposed to be realistic. The colors and shapes represent aesthetic ideas instead of natural forms.”

Gene and Eric gave each other a puzzled look with arched eyebrows before turning their attention back to their supposedly art connoisseur Spaceman.

“Then how do you explain this one?” Gene asked, pointing his fork to a canvas covered in brown smudges with a hint of blue and green along the edges.

Eric chuckled. “Let me guess…it’s supposed to be a window into the troubled soul of a starving artist,” he overdramatically stated, prompting a deep chuckle out of Gene.

Tommy rolled his eyes. “This one is not finished yet. Paul has been working on this piece for days now.”

Eric blinked. “It took him days to just randomly slap some brown, blue and green onto a canvas!?”

Tommy sighed. He honestly had no idea why he bothered trying to explain Abstract Art to these two unappreciative buffoons.

“Tommy? Are you back here?” Paul asked from outside the door.

In a hurry, Tommy put down the red bottle in the middle of the floor and scrambled to the door just before Paul could set foot into the room.

“Hey Paul,” he asked breathlessly, trying his best to block Paul’s view from his surprise.

Paul cocked his head curiously. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I thought you left,” he said sadly, twirling a nervous finger around his necklace clasp.

“No! Never! I would never leave you…err… leave the party,” Tommy fumbled, shaking his head. Eric snickered behind him. Tommy resisted the urge to swat at him.

“What are you all doing in my art studio?” Paul asked, noticing Gene and Eric standing behind Tommy.

Before Tommy could speak, Eric blurted out, “Tommy has a surprise for you!”

“Oh!” Paul’s eyes lit up, and there was that joy that Tommy loved so much. “You got me a surprise! You didn’t have to…but I am glad you did,” his grin blossomed into a huge smile, melting Tommy’s heart on the spot.

Paul reached out and grabbed Tommy’s hand, pulling him out of the room. “We’re about to open presents in the living room. I didn’t want to start without you,” he said softly. Tommy blushed and followed Paul’s lead eagerly, ignoring Eric and Gene’s playful taunts the entire way back.

Once inside the living room, everyone gathered around Paul as he opened up his various exquisite gifts from Rolex watches to fine silk bed sheets.

“Alright, this is from Gene,” Paul said, picking up a random present from the table.

“Ha! Oh, this is going to be good,” Eric snorted, smacking his gum loudly. Gene gave Eric a stern look, which the Catman only gave a cheeky smirk in return.

Paul unwrapped the present, only to find a box. He opened the box and saw what looked like a wooden knife block with a knife in it. Paul pulled the knife out, dropping it in horror.

“Ah! What the hell, Gene?”

“What? It’s a Nesmuk! Didn’t you say you wanted one?” Gene crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow.

“Yes, I did, but why the hell is it stained red?” Paul asked in disgust.

Everyone eyed the suspicious red substance all over the knife blade and then looked up at Gene with weirded out expressions.

“What? It’s just strawberry jam. Eric didn’t wash the dishes so I had to use the knife to make a sandwich,” Gene explained casually.

“So, instead of just washing a butter knife yourself you just used the expensive fine German cutting knife?” Eric laughed in between loud gum smacks.

“Uh, yeah, it’s still a utensil!” Gene defended abrasively.

“Well, um, thanks Gene,” Paul said with an obvious forced smile. He then reached for another gift in the pile.

“This one is from Eric,” Paul said, reading the tag.

Eric grinned in excitement as Paul unwrapped his gift.

“It’s a Nick Fouquet hat! By why is it flat?” he pouted, examining the squished black hat with a few dented blue feathers on the side.

“Gene accidentally sat on it,” Eric replied with crossed arms.

Gene merely shrugged as he continued munching on his chocolate cake.

Paul put the hat aside. “We should all head up to my studio. Apparently, Tommy has a marvelous surprise for me that I’m just dying to see,” he grinned at Tommy.

“I wanted to save the best for last,” he whispered in Tommy’s ear, causing the younger man to blush as he led the group up to Paul’s art studio.

Everyone oooh’d and ahhh’d over the beautiful acrylic paint display, but no one was more intrigued than Paul, of course.

“Is this the entire Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint collection?” Paul asked in awe, circling around the magnificent seventy-two canned pyramid like an excited child on Christmas morning. “You got all of this for me!?”

Tommy couldn’t stop the large grin from spreading across his face even if he wanted to. “Yeah, I sure did.”

Without warning Paul pulled Tommy into a tight loving hug. “Thank you so much, Tommy! I love it!” he cheered, kissing Tommy on the cheek. “He taught me how to paint!” the birthday boy bragged to everyone in the room. Tommy’s cheeks burned hot as he leaned closer into the warm embrace. He wished he could stay in this position with Paul forever.

Breaking away from the hug, Paul still kept his arms around Tommy. “I want to test the colors out on a blank canvas,” he smiled, turning to grab a clean canvas.

As Paul was carrying a large canvas over, Tommy noticed the lone red paint can he had left in the middle of the floor carelessly. Quickly, he rushed over to retrieve the can to prevent Paul from tripping over it, but, unfortunately, Tommy’s foot caught a nearby easel causing him to lose his balance. Everything happened so fast. Before Tommy could get his wits about him, his arms, hands, the floor, and the unfinished painting were covered in red paint.

Surprised gasps filled the room as everyone grew quiet, staring down the clumsy guitarist.

“Nice fall, Grace!” Eric bellowed out loud, breaking the awkward silence.

“Did you have a nice trip?” Gene chimed in, making the already embarrassing situation ten times worse!

Tommy’s face flushed red. “I’m s...so sorry!” He stood up wobbly, looking around for some paper towels. He felt delirious as if he was trapped in some sort of nightmare.

“My painting!” Paul cried out, dropping the new canvas to rush over to inspect the damage done on his precious art work.

That precious glimmer in his eyes had dulled. That beautiful radiant smile had become a frown. That look of disappointment plastered on his face would forever haunt Tommy in his dreams. Several nosy bystanders had snapped out of their trance, rushing over with paper towels to help clean up the mess.

“Paul, I’m sorry,” Tommy’s voice cracked, staring at the other man helplessly.

Paul didn’t even look at him. He just stood motionless, staring at the ruined painting in silence. Tommy couldn’t bear it anymore and rushed off to the nearby bathroom, turning on the water faucet and pumping lots of soap into his hands. With a sad sigh, he scrubbed his hands and arms in the soapy water with fury. He wanted nothing more than to erase the evidence of his great blunder. The bright red paint residue mixed with the white soap had turned into a hideous pinkish color stained onto his skin. Who was he kidding? It would take days for this accursed color to come out. Just another painful daily reminder of how he ruined Paul’s birthday.

Tommy held his head down in shame, feeling completely ashamed and angry at himself for what had happened. He knew Paul had worked hard on that painting. All those relentless hours down the drain and all because of one careless mistake.

Paul knocked on the bathroom door before entering. “Tommy? Are you alright?”

Tommy took a deep breath and faced Paul. “Paul, I’m so sorry I ruined your painting. I just feel awful for what I did.”

“Ruined it?” Paul blinked at him. “You just made it even better.”

Tommy looked over in confusion. He wasn’t expecting that kind of response out of Paul. “What do you mean?”

Paul grinned, putting a plaster tool in Tommy’s hand. “Come on, we both started this, let’s finish it together.”

Tommy followed Paul back into the studio and observed the painting. The red and brown had mixed into a gorgeous burgundy color with hints of blue and green on the edges. The guests were buzzing around the painting like bees to honey, commenting on what a superb color that was. Gene and Eric stood dumbfounded, unable to figure out what everyone was so excited about. Gently, Paul put his hand on Tommy’s hand, guiding the plaster tool onto the canvas. Everyone watched closely as the two men moved like one. In one swift motion they had melded the gorgeous deep reddish colored form into a heart shape.

“Beautiful,” Paul whispered, his eyes surveying the gorgeous masterpiece.

Tommy nodded in agreement. “Beautiful,” he agreed.

Paul looked up to see that Tommy wasn't looking at the painting but at him instead. The two leaned in closer, sharing a gentle kiss.

**~There are no mistakes, only happy accidents~ Bob Ross**


End file.
